Effectiveness of WeChat-Supported Neck Rehabilitation Exercises on Early Recovery After Thyroidectomy
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-60
SponsorShanghai 6th People's Hospital
About this trial
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness, safety, and implementation outcomes of a WeChat mini program-supported tele-neck rehabilitation exercises for improving early postoperative neck recovery after thyroidectomy.
Eligibility criteria
This trial does not accept healthy volunteersQualifiers
Undergoing thyroid surgery
Postoperative condition stable, with the attending physician assessing the patient as fit for neck movement
Willing to participate in the study, complete scheduled follow-ups, and sign a written informed consent form
Disqualifiers
History of prior thyroid or neck surgery
History of cervical spondylosis, cervical spine surgery, neck trauma, or other conditions affecting neck mobility
Postoperative complications rendering the patient unsuitable for neck movement training, such as confirmed recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, chyle leak, or complications requiring reoperation or prolonged drainage, or incision infection
Persistent postoperative dizziness or other conditions unsuitable for exercise
Trial design
Design model
Parallel
Treatments tested in this trial
WeChat-supported Neck Rehabilitation Exercise
BehavioralWeChat mini program-supported neck exercise management includes daily exercise reminders, exercise check-ins, symptom reporting, automated abnormal symptom prompts, and standardized remote feedback from the research team.
Standardized Postoperative Care and Video Education
BehavioralThis intervention consists of standard clinical postoperative care and discharge education, encompassing wound management, follow-up appointments, and generic neck activity guidelines. Prior to discharge or upon clinical stability, participants undergo a one-time, face-to-face training session with research staff featuring practical exercise demonstrations and behavioral precautions, and are provided with identical instructional video materials for home reference.
Treatment groups
200 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groupsGroup A: WeChat-supported tele-rehabilitation groupExperimental treatment 2 interventions
Group B: Routine care groupActive comparator 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Neck Pain and Disability Scale (NPDS) Score
The NPDS is used to evaluate post-surgical neck pain and its multi-dimensional impact on daily living, emotions, work, and social activities. The total score ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores representing more severe neck pain and structural functional impairment.
Time frame
Preoperative baseline; the day of drainage removal; and 7, 14, and 30 days after drainage removalSecondary outcomes
1
Neck Movement Pain Score
Assessment of localized pain severity provoked during active cervical movements, including neck flexion, extension, left/right lateral flexion, and left/right rotation. Each of the six movements is scored categorically as 0 (painless), 1 (mild pain), or 2 (severe pain), yielding a cumulative score range of 0 to 12. Higher total scores indicate more pronounced motion-induced cervical pain.
Time frame
Preoperative baseline; the day of drainage removal; and 7, 14, and 30 days after drainage removal2
Health-related quality of life
Health-related quality of life will be assessed using the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L). The descriptive system assesses five dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression, with five response levels for each dimension.
Time frame
Preoperative baseline; the day of drainage removal; and 7, 14, and 30 days after drainage removal3
Incidence of Surgical Complications and Intervention-Related Adverse Events
Safety endpoints mapping the frequency and severity of post-surgical complications (e.g., wound bleeding/hematoma, incision dehiscence, surgical site infection) or any adverse events deemed by the investigator to be potentially related to the physical exercise regimen (e.g., severe motion-induced pain exacerbation, acute dizziness).
Time frame
Up to 3 month post-operation4
Cervical Range of Motion (ROM)
Objective clinical measurement of neck mobility, quantifying the exact degrees of cervical movement achieved during forward flexion, backward extension, left/right lateral flexion, and left/right rotation, assessed by a blinded investigator.
Time frame
Preoperative baseline; the day of drainage removal; and 7, 14, and 30 days after drainage removalOther outcomes
1
Rehabilitation adherence
Adherence will be calculated as the number of completed prescribed rehabilitation sessions divided by the number of prescribed sessions during the corresponding assessment period, multiplied by 100%. Higher percentages indicate better adherence.
Time frame
Up to 1 month post-operation2
Acceptability of postoperative rehabilitation
Acceptability of the postoperative rehabilitation program will be assessed using study-specific items addressing clarity of the rehabilitation guidance, usefulness of the educational materials, suitability, perceived safety, burden, confidence in recovery, overall satisfaction, and willingness to recommend the rehabilitation approach. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
Time frame
30 days after drainage removalSponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov